SKNRS - App Feature Improvement
Overview
This is a personal project I completed at the graduate level. The requirement is to choose an existing mobile app and add a new function or something to improve its experience based on the existing one. I chose Nike's SNKRS because I'm a sneakerhead. I analyzed and improved its entire user flow.
Tools
Figma
Platform
Mobile App
My Role
UX research, UI Design, Prototyping
Time
2020
About SNKRS™
It’s Nike’s main channel for its high-demand, limited-release shoes and the insider info behind them, such as their design inspiration. Nike wields it as a way for its most-engaged customers to unlock exclusive products. The company has also made it a venue for those customers themselves, showcasing their photos of them wearing their Nikes in a dedicated feed.
Market Position
The app has been so successful since its launch in 2015 that Nike says it will use it as the blueprint for how it builds deep relationships with members and communities across its business online. The idea, according to Ron Faris, Nike vice president of Global SNKRS App, is to “take all the learnings and that playbook of what we’ve done with the sneaker-obsessed” and apply it through the broader Nike ecosystem.
Current User Flow
There are two basic existing user flows, and I will focus on the flow which is the purchase of limited shoes. So the most important is the draw system. Users have to wait until the draw opens. Then, by clicking the button, they will join the huge draw pool at the same time. And the system will randomly select the winner who can buy the products. After 15 minutes, the app will notify the users whether they get access to buy the shoes.
Define the Problems
Too many Bots 🤖️
There are so many bots that break the balance of the draw. They are made by shoe resellers and hackers to make profits. As a result, real fans can hardly get the shoes they want. Gradually, users are losing patience and becoming frustrated with the app itself.
Emotional Job Aspects 😢
There is also an emotional pain point. Users feel extremely frustrated once they did not win permission. And the frustration keeps growing if they lose the draw many times. This will lead to users' trust in the product and ultimately reduce the frequency of use.
Lack of User Engagement 👥
User engagement is not high enough that users will not open it until the release of the new shoes. It is becoming a raffle app, rather than a sneaker fans platform. Also, there is too little place for users to interact. They can only see the official message from the Nike company.
Design
Ideation
My idea is to improve the draw system by adding one more step in the flow. So the users have to complete some small tasks to get the draw ticket. With this process, the bots can be effectively prevented, also it will be a good way to improve the users' participation.
Sketchs
Prototyping
Prototype
Interactive Community
The new community section lets users spend more time interacting with the app. They can participate in those interesting tasks to earn points. And these points will help them to join and win more draws.
Interesting Tasks
There will be small tasks for users, like quizzes and games. They will keep updating every week. This can not only increase users' viscosity but also promote the brand.
A Fairer Raffle System
Users will join the shoe draw by consuming points. More points will give them a higher probability of winning, which is also a reward for their high participation.